After four decades of making hit movies, Tom Cruise is still breaking his own box office records — and one of his most profitable collaborators thinks he knows why.

Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who first worked with Cruise on the original Top Gun back in 1986, spoke with EW in anticipation of the sequel's Aug. 23 digital release and gave his opinion on why, with $1.3 billion in worldwide box office sales, Maverick has become Cruise's high-grossing film ever.